Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Trapped in a spooky bed and breakfast for Halloween, the team must deal with a haunted inn and a precocious child. Come join the fun. TEAMCENTRIC - MULTICHAP. TV Prompt-Happy Days "Welcome to my Nightmare" CH 9 is the entire team!
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors llyria13, LoveMeThatsAllIAskOfYou, and LoveandFury!**_

_**And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter One**

_**TV Prompt: Happy Days**_**_ – "Welcome to My Nightmare"_**

Fog wafted over the decrepit surroundings as seven sets of eyes stared in horror at the only place the small hamlet of Foster, Massachusetts had that would afford them a night's sleep.

Startling as a raven cawed above, Derek Morgan was the first team member to snap out of his horrified stupor. "No," he said firmly, shaking his head as he eyed the rusted sign for the bed and breakfast ahead of them. "Nope. Nuh uh," he declared insistently, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest as he took a pronounced step back.

"Morgan," JJ sighed as she shifted her small tote bag to her other shoulder, "It's this or the SUV for the night. Everything else is booked."

"And you couldn't find a Motel 8...an Econo Lodge?" the profiler yelped, his eyes widening as he turned to look at JJ with a censorious glare.

"Have you SEEN a motel or hotel around these part?" JJ snapped, her eyes flashing in the dimming light as she barely resisted the urge to swing her bag against the man's broad shoulders.

"It's not JJ's fault that are plane couldn't take off due to the fog or that we've just finished a case in the middle of nowhere," Rossi offered supportively, stepping beside the media liaison as he shot Morgan a quelling look.

"Why couldn't we just go back to our original hotel rooms again?" Reid asked curiously, his intelligent eyes cataloguing every centimeter of the wooden exterior. "I mean, it wasn't the Ritz, but compared to this...," he said, gesturing weakly at the rundown facility in front of them.

"I already told you," JJ ground out defensively, her shoulders stiffening. "We gave up our rooms because we assumed that we were leaving tonight. I am not responsible for acts of God, people!"

"Trust me, Jayje," Emily said with a leery look toward the B&B, "I don't think God had much to do with this. I'm pretty sure it was his counterpart."

"It's fine," Rossi insisted. "As long as it has a bed and a shower, I think it'll fill our needs for a night, don't you?" he asked Hotch meaningfully.

Coming to stand on JJ's other side, Hotch eyed the house cum inn in front of them. "We've stayed worse places," he remarked dryly, though he'd be hard pressed to name the time and location that event had occurred. But his pragmatic side quickly reminded him that beggars couldn't be choosers…and he didn't relish the thoughts of spending the night in some small-town airport lounge.

"When?" Morgan challenged, still backing away from the wrought iron fence. Bumping into the sign behind me, he growled, "Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me?"

"What's the matter now, my chocolate god of thunder?" Penelope sighed, turning to look at her best friend as the screeching metal filled the night air.

"_Bates_ Bed and Breakfast," Morgan yelled as he pointed wildly at the sign, shaking his head.

"So, good 'ol Norman is branching out," Garcia shrugged, snapping a picture of the sign with her phone, reminding herself to post it as soon as possible.

"So not funny, Baby Girl," Morgan grumbled under his breath as he hastily moved in the far direction . "It's Halloween night in freaking Massachusetts, home of the witches, and we're staying at the BATES Bed and Breakfast!"

"When the hell did you become a supernatural alarmist, Morgan?" Dave snorted with a roll of his dark eyes.

"He hates Halloween," the entire team said in unison.

"I DON'T hate it," Morgan muttered defiantly. "I just don't understand glorifying the things that go bump in the night."

"Look, everybody," JJ said, holding up a hand to stall what was certain to become a free-for-all, "You have a choice. I've reserved rooms inside that fi...that establishment," she continued, wisely amending her original wording as she pointed toward the faintly glowing windows in front of them. "Whether you join me inside is entirely up to you. Each one of you is more than welcome to sleep in the SUVs. I, however, am tired and am desperately in need of a hot shower. I'm going inside," she said emphatically, marching toward the rickety steps leading into the rural inn.

Glancing over at Hotch, Rossi shrugged as he muttered, "Hell, I'm too old to find a bucket seat comfortable for anything but driving." Hitching his go bag higher on his shoulder, he turned to follow the tiny blonde who was currently stomping her way up the cracked sidewalk. Pausing for a scant moment at the iron gate, he drew in a deep breath as he quickly crossed himself.

"Did anyone else see that?" Morgan's high-pitched voiced yelped into the cool night air. "If Rossi ain't willing to walk in their without higher protection, then I ain't going at all."

Rolling her eyes at Morgan's antics, Garcia crossed her arms over her chest as she declared, loudly, "Well, I for one am not going to let a little ghostie or goblin scare me away from either bed or breakfast." Grinning suddenly, her eyes widened as she said, turning toward the front porch, "Oh, maybe they can tell me if they have regular hauntings! I bet I could get some great photos to put up on Facebook."

Waving his arm frantically toward the one woman he had expected to have on his side, Morgan groaned, "They've sucked her in!" Turning toward his unit chief, he beseeched, "Come on, Hotch! Surely you can find us something else. We can't all just go willy-nilly inside without investigating other options!"

"I believe JJ had already performed that bit of reconnaissance for us, Morgan, and this was the only place in town," Hotch said drily, wisely choosing not to comment on Morgan's current phobia. Pushing open the gate, the loud screech filling the air, Hotch held it open as he met Emily's eyes. "After you, Prentiss."

Pushing Reid in front of her, Emily frowned as she stepped forward, shaking her head. "I'm half with Morgan on this one, you know."

"Finally!" Morgan exclaimed from his position a full ten feet away from that creaking gate. But his sudden pleasure faded as he watched his supposed ally move inside the fence, followed by the last two members of his team. "Wait, Prentiss! I thought you were on my side!"

"Ignore him, Emily," Garcia called back, already on the rickety front porch of the venerable establishment. "He's like a puppy. When he gets tired and hungry enough, he'll join the rest of us inside."

Watching as his colleagues slowly disappeared through the aged wooden door of the broken down wannabe inn, Morgan grumbled to no one in particular, "For the record, this is bullshit!" But as the last person on their team stepped inside the door, Morgan hotfooted it up the sidewalk, carefully stepping over the many cracks.

No sense tempting fate….right?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors llyria13, LoveMeThatsAllIAskOfYou, and LoveandFury!**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil & Trouble**

**Chapter Two**

_**TV Prompt: Frasier - "Halloween"**_

As JJ stood inside the dimly lit foyer of the venerable inn, she smiled tightly at the older woman behind the desk. "Hello. I'm Jennifer Jareau. I called earlier and reserved several rooms."

"You certainly did," the red headed woman grinned back at her, her face wreathed in welcoming smiles. "I'm Diane," she said, extending her hand. "And that," she said, gesturing into the room off the foyer, "is my daughter Carol."

"Nice to meet you," JJ said as graciously as she could, considering she was tired and grimy and currently far from her cheerful and poised self.

"You, too," Diane nodded, tapping the keys on her computer quickly.

"Uhmm, ma'am," Reid said quietly, peering into the family room of the establishment. "Is there any reason why your daughter is watching a snowy screen?" he asked, pointing at the television set where the child named Carol sat quietly talking to someone, her long blonde ponytail bouncing as she nodded animatedly at the television.

"Oh," Diane smiled benignly, waving a negligent hand in the air, "It's Halloween night, her name is Carol and we own an allegedly haunted inn...she's putting on a show. Between you and me," she winked, "I think she was an actress in a past life."

"How...theatrical," JJ said weakly, stealing a speculative look at the little girl. Christ, they'd gone from Psycho to Poltergeist in one fell swoop. What was next, she asked herself just as the sound of a low growl filled the room.

"Cujo, hush!" Diane admonished the St. Bernard at her feet, the dog's low growls roiling from his throat. "We have company!"

Eyes widening as she leaned around the desk and saw the huge canine standing there, JJ barely managed to suppress her scream. "You have a dog?" JJ asked faintly, taking a hasty step backwards and landing right against Rossi's broad chest.

"Oh, Cujo's been a member of the family since we found him abandoned on the front porch a few years ago," Diane chuckled, patting the dog's wide head with one hand while she continued entering data on her computer.

Taking a step closer to Penelope, Morgan pushed her an inch forward as he muttered, "Honest to God, baby girl, if that mutt so much as makes a move for me, I'm gonna pull my service weapon and send him to the great pet cemetery in the sky."

"Oh, my prince," Garcia trilled, turning to pat Derek's stiff jaw, "You made a funny! See, you do have a sense of humor about this whole adventure, don't you?"

"What I have is…." Derek started, only to be interrupted by the innkeeper.

Dangling a set of keys in her hand, Diane smiled cheerfully as she handed them over to JJ. "Okay, ma'am, I've got four rooms all ready for you." Tilting her head for a second, she amended, "Well, really, I guess the fourth room is too small to really be considered a room. It's more like a….cell…I guess."

"Did she say CELL?" Rossi groaned, throwing a dark look in his unit chief's direction. "I think we need to re-evaluate our options, Hotch, if we're going to be bunking down in prison conditions." Feeling JJ's elbow land firmly in his lower rib cage, Rossi grunted as he yelped, "Hey! I was just saying…"

But Diane the Innkeeper ignored the interplay around her as she motioned toward the keys that JJ now held gingerly on the tip of her fingers. "You can take the staircase to the left to reach your rooms. "

Glancing at the black tags attached to each key, JJ furrowed her forehead as she asked, worriedly, "How exactly does one find the Red Rum Room?"

Motioning toward the side staircase, Diane explained easily, "Oh, it's at the top of the stairs, right off the Amityville Alcove. You'll also see the Psycho Suite on your left, which is next to Chucky's Chamber. The smallest room is Damien's Dormer." Glancing around at the gathered group, their stunned faces staring in horror back at her, she tilted her head as she stated, "Of course, the dormer only has a twin bed, so someone will be sleeping alone."

"Not it!" Emily called weakly, backing away from the humongous St. Bernard now standing beside his mistress and bumping into Hotch. "In fact, I think it would be an excellent idea," she stated as evenly as she could while keeping her eyes glued to the beast in front of her, "If we kept our rooms coed tonight. JJ?"

"So on board with that idea," JJ nodded as she swallowed tightly edging closer to Dave as the dark barked deeply. "Reid can have the single," JJ murmured absently. "He's the only one that appears..." she said, looking at Reid, now examining the photographs on the wall nonchalantly, "unaffected."

"Well, now ," Diane smiled as her daughter scampered into the room, "since you have your sleeping arrangements in place, I'll call Mr. Krueger to help with your bags," she said, ringing the bell on her desk. "Freddy loves to assist our guests in any way he can."

"Krueger," Hotch said with a frown, his voice incredulous.

"Freddy," Penelope parroted, her face wreathed in a grin.

"Can't make this stuff up," Diane shrugged, her eyes twinkling.

"Mister," Carol said, sliding between Morgan and Penelope and tugging his shirt.

Glancing down, Morgan's heartbeat slowed as he saw innocent blue eyes staring up at him. "Hey, pretty girl," he said, bending toward the seemingly sweet angel, "what can I help you with?"

Crooking her finger at him, Carol waited until Morgan's ear was next to her lips before mock whispering, "I see dead people."

"OH, holy crap," Morgan yelped, his eyes widening as he stumbled backward into the coat rack. Looking toward Garcia with desperate eyes, Morgan gasped, "I'm sooooo out of here!"

"Carol," Diane chided with a long suffering sigh as she watched the well built man in front of her desk cowering in the corner. "We've discussed this, sweetheart. No scaring the guests."

"But, mommy," Carol argued easily, her eyes widening in mock-innocence, "He's soooo easssyyyyy!"

"Evidently the truth really is out there," Rossi stated with a smirk, looking from Carol to Morgan.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors mabelreid, Lizzie2010, HansonFanGermany, and Lawson227!**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter Three**

_**TV Prompt: **__**The Angry Video Game Nerd**__** - "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"**_

Letting out a decidedly impatient sigh at the antics of his teammates, Aaron Hotchner stepped forward then as he said, determinedly, "Okay, guys, I think we need to all move to our theoretical neutral corners and get a good night's sleep." Nodding toward JJ, he said, "Let's distribute those room keys, then we'll be able to find out where everyone's going to settle down for the night."

Gladly throwing the old fashioned keys toward her various teammates, JJ muttered, "I'm with Emily on the co-ed thing. Tonight would be a good night to make sure we've got our manpower evenly distributed."

Nodding rapidly, Emily sidled closer to her friend and teammate as she added, her forehead pinched, "Glad to have you agree with me, JJ. And now we choose. Which one of these big lugs do you want guarding your door tonight?"

Arching one dark brow, Hotch looked at his team mate as he said, tongue in cheek, unable to resist the gibe, "Gee, Prentiss, I thought you were a card-carrying member of the ERA."

Matching Hotch's arched facial expression, the raven-headed agent crossed her arms over her chest as she retorted, "I honestly don't think whoever or whatever is haunting this place cares about my equal rights tonight, Hotch. And if there's another world being looking for a victim, I certainly don't think it should be me."

Nodding in agreement, JJ added, her smile tight against her lips, "And I for one will have no problem sacrificing one of you much larger bodies to distract whatever ghoulie that attempts to get to me. So be forewarned. I'll have no problem using you as a human shield."

"I feel so loved," David Rossi said drily, shaking his head at the antics of his female teammates. Grinning, he dropped his arm around JJ's shoulder as he declared, "I'm rooming with Jen. She can outshoot anyone in the Bureau, so I figure the spooks don't stand a chance against her and her Glock."

Before JJ could object to the older man's assumption, the entire team heard a heavy voice announce, "Ya'll the people stayin' in the tombs tonight?"

"That'd be us," Dave nodded warily as the tired team collectively turned to face the newest addition to their group.

Eyes widening as she spotted the thin older man in red and black striped sweater standing on the bottom step of the staircase, Penelope Garcia grinned widely as she literally started bouncing on her tip toes from the excitement. "This is just too much," she chortled, happily snapping a picture of the wizened man.

"So glad you're enjoying yourself, PG," Emily murmured uncomfortably, uneasily shifting to stand behind Hotch as she felt a gust of cold air blow around her ankles.

"Oh, I am!" Penelope enthused, clearly in her element as she snapped another set of photos, fully intending to use one of them for her upcoming Halloween blog. With entries like this, she was certain to win the contest on Blogger this month!

"Fred," Diane the innkeeper asked, peering around the desk as she frowned. "Have you seen Jason? I need him to change the light bulb in Beelzebub's Boudoir."

"Last time I saw 'im," Fred the handyman gruffly replied, gesturing toward the side door, "'ol Jason was outside chopping wood for the bonfire tonight."

"This is not happening," JJ said faintly, her gulp almost as loud as her rapidly increasing heartbeat. Carole. Freddy Kreuger. Now, Jason! Somebody was obviously intent on taking this horrible kitsch one step too far!

"Does anybody else feel like they fell into one incredibly twisted horror flick?" Morgan yelped, looking from face to face, seeking some form of assurance that his normally well-ordered life would be returned to him post haste. "What the hell is next...Texas Chainsaw Massacre?"

"Maybe," Carole said hopefully, glancing up at Freddy.

"You heard your mother, little bit. You're way too excitable for power tools."

"I wanna go home," Morgan groaned, staring from the wiry wanna-be bellboy to the tiny little human by his side.

"Maybe," Carol said, her little girl voice clear as she tugged on Morgan's shirt again, "If you click your heels three times and say 'There's no place like home'..."

"I'll get out of this freak house?" Morgan asked hopefully, willing to attempt almost anything at that exact moment, including listening to advice from a child that had already proven herself to be a less than reputable source of information.

"My house isn't a freak!" Carole shouted, kicking Morgan in the shins. Leaning forward, she narrowed her eyes as her tiny hands settled on her hips. "Whatever you do, don't go to sleep," she ordered imperiously, her lips pursing as she drew her foot back for another well-aimed shot.

"Hey," Reid said suddenly, pointing to Carole, "that's Nightmare on Elm Street."

Smiling sympathetically at an obviously injured Derek Morgan, Diane sighed as she declared, "Welcome to my nightmare, ladies and gentlemen."

**/*****/**

Five minutes later, the rattled team found themselves standing in the upstairs hallway, having followed the surprisingly amiable and spry Mr. Krueger up the rickety stairs.

Motioning with one of the bags he was carrying, Freddy the caretaker said with a drawl, "Now, don't quite know who wants what room. But this one here," he nudged open a creaking door with his foot as he flicked on a light switch with his elbow, "has a full bed and bath. It's Chucky's Chamber this month."

Fighting the full body shiver that threatened to overtake him, Morgan leaned around Penelope as he asked, sharply, "This month? You mean it has worse names than that?"

"Don't rightly know what you'd be callin' worse, but at Christmas, Miss Diane names all the rooms after reindeers," Freddy answered, his tone dry and matter of fact. His lips twitching, he added, humorously, "This one's also known as Prancer's Palace when the big holiday rolls around."

"Oh, that's ours!" Penelope declared with a wide smile, pulling Morgan along with her as she sauntered into the surprisingly plainly decorated room. Immediately pulling out her phone, she snapped a picture of Morgan's disgruntled face as he stood just barely inside the doorway as she said, happily, "Oh, I am so going to be blogging about all of this later! And you, my unhappy little pumpkin, will be getting center billing!"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors Canadaindy, Bibi-Hibiki, DarkBard0, lovedrreid, and Helena Fallon!**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter Four**

Staring around the dimly lit high-ceilinged hallway, JJ muttered to no one in particular, "Well, if this is the Amityville Alcove right now, what does it become at Christmas?"

Shrugging his shoulders as he reached to open another doorway in the darkened hallway, Freddy answered, calmly, "Jingle Bell Square. But no matter what names these rooms have, can't change the strange things that keep happening here. Been hearing creaks and shrieks all night long recently." Without pausing or explaining his words, he turned back to the team as he motioned toward the open door, "Who wants Red Rum Room? Hear tell it's got a right nice view of the cornfield. And just last night, I saw a raven sitting on the window frame just a pretty as a picture."

"I don't care if it's got a view of the graveyard," Emily muttered tiredly, taking a step by the happy caretaker and taking her bag from his shoulder. "Just tell me it has a bathtub."

"Nah, that's the Psycho suite," Fred informed them with a slight smile, responding to Emily's first statement. "But yes'm. Both rooms have a garden tub and a shower.

"I'll take it," Emily nodded, shifting her bag as she brightened at the thought of a long, deep soak. "Lead the way, Freddy."

A minute later, Aaron and Emily dropped off at their Red Rum Room, Reid, JJ and Dave trailed Fred down what he'd blandly called the Chaos Corridor. As they reached a narrow doorway at the end of the winding hall, Fred pointed to his right. "That there is Damien's Dormer," he explained, turning the doorknob as an eerie creak filled the empty hallway, the sound echoing off the exposed rafters.

JJ, Dave and Reid leaned around, peering inside at the utilitarian twin bed with a simple blanket folded at the end. "How...cozy?" JJ murmured weakly, flashing Reid a sympathetic look that morphed into a wince.

Shrugging, Reid stepped inside. "Reminds me of Mom's room at the sanitarium," he said easily, looking around at the sparse furnishings with a critical eye.

"No bath in this'n. Guests use the shower down the hall," Freddy explained, nodding back the way they'd came. "First door at the end of the hallway. Mind the hot water though...it seems to get hotter for no apparent reason lately. Then goes ice cold in a second. It's scared more than one soul in the last few weeks."

"Good to know," Reid replied, slightly uncertain as he linked his fingers together. "Have you contacted a plumber?"

"And a priest," Freddy nodded, his eyes seeming to glimmer under the dim light from the chandelier above.

"Moving on," Dave said quickly, placing a gentle hand on JJ's back as her mouth dropped open. He was fairly certain that if he didn't get the petite woman to a room with a locking door sometime soon, she might rethink her decision to bunk with him tonight. And spook or no spook, he was not about to lose the opportunity he had been waiting for.

"Yeah, to the Psycho Suite," JJ muttered under her breath, her feet dragging as they once again followed the elderly man down the creepy hallway.

"I'll make sure Norman's not hiding out in the shower, babe," Dave offered generously, his eyes twinkling as he watched JJ glare at him.

Pushing open the door, Mr. Krueger ambled inside, dropping JJ's small suitcase at the foot of the bed. "Room comes with all the normal amenities," he proclaimed, launching into what had become a memorized spiel that he had perfected over the years. "Bathroom's through there," he said, nodding toward the far door on the opposite wall, "Phone is good for local calls and just dial the room number to reach your co-workers. Zero for the front desk. Breakfast starts at seven in the morning and there are light snacks in your mini-fridge. I think Ms. Diane made some special treats for the holiday. Let me tell you, that woman's a whiz in the kitchen."

Pausing to draw in a wheezy breath, the old man continued, "The bonfire starts in a couple of hours so ya'll have time to get cleaned up if ya like. Don't hesitate to let our haunted helpers know if you need anything else."

Tipping the man generously, Dave nodded solemnly. "Appreciate it."

Pocketing the bills Rossi passed him, Mr. Krueger winced as he took one last glance around the room. "Hope you're still sayin' that on the morrow. Night, folks," he said, nodding at JJ as he closed the bedroom door.

"I've changed my mind," JJ shivered, disturbed by the cryptic departure of the old man. "We should have slept in the SUV. If we hurry, we can probably beat Morgan back down there and stake out the good seats."

Dropping his bag on the black chair beside the bed, Dave looked over his shoulder as he said, supportively, "Look, Jen, why don't you take a long bath? Maybe a soak in the tub will dispel some of these doubts. I'm sure everything will be perfectly fine tonight."

"From your lips to God's ears." Glaring at the dark headed man as she stomped toward the small closet, JJ jerked open the folding doors as she said, tiredly, "How in the world could we have chosen the only haunted house in town? I'd like to…. AHGGGG!"

Dave turned on his heels as he heard the scream rip from her throat, just in time to see a skeleton pop out of the closet and swing against JJ's horrified face. "JJ, it's just a prop," he said, his feet eating up the distance as he moved toward her, sweeping the offending object away from her as she attempted to swat at the air. Unhooking the plastic decoration, he dangled it from his finger as he said, grinning, "Obviously another one of Carole's antics."

Struggling to regain control of her breathing, JJ pressed a hand to her flushed cheek as she muttered, "Someone really needs to get that kid some counseling. If she's this warped at her age, I'm afraid we might have a serial killer in the making."

"I'll be sure to suggest that to her mother," Dave said drily, dropping the rattling bones on the chair next to his go bag. Pointing toward the bath, he said, "Weren't you going to investigate the bathtub?"

Squaring her shoulders as she grabbed her go bag, JJ stomped toward the small wooden door. Pausing just as she reached the portal, she said, a warning in her voice, "I'm locking this door, Rossi. Don't think of making any unscheduled visits in to see me. I don't wish to relieve the shower scene from Psycho, thank you very much."

"You wound me," he replied, pressing his hand to his chest in mock hurt as he attempted to quell the smile threatening to overtake his lips. "Would I do that?"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules! PLEASE COME ON OUT, VOTE AND HELP US SUPPORT THIS VENTURE!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL! Come on over and check us out...You have FIVE days left to sign-up!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors IcyActress, EmilyHotchLover, KennedyCarter12, drodgers89, Falcon-121!**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter Five**

"In a heartbeat," she responded, wrinkling her nose as she watched him move around the room, his eyes narrowing. "What's wrong now?"

"No alarm clock," Dave answered succinctly. "Don't worry. Take your bath or shower and I'll call Diane for a new one." Waiting until she moved into the bath and the door clicked behind her, Dave moved to the other side of the four poster bed and sat down on the black satin spread as he reached for the phone.

Glancing toward the nightstand, Dave couldn't help the laugh that escaped as he spotted the Gideon Bible's normal resting place. Not so, for this fine establishment, however. In its place was a glossy copy of Stephen King's **IT**. Picking up the heavy book, he muttered, "The joint definitely gets points for ambiance."

Dropping the book back to the corner of the nightstand, he privately couldn't wait to see JJ's reaction to THAT little trick. Although, he thought, she was probably already at the end of her proverbial rope. At this point, he wasn't quite certain what else it would take to push her over the final edge.

Reaching for the phone, he dialed the front desk and waited only a moment before he heard a deep, "GET OUT," grated into the phone in a distinctly familiar voice.

A distinctively familiar childish female voice.

Biting his lip to keep from laughing, he said calmly, "Well, hello to you, too, Carolee. Is Mommy around?"

"You people are absolutely NO fun," Carole's voice pouted into the phone with a put-upon sigh, before the sound of a loud clatter filled the earpiece, followed by the sound of footsteps stomping away.

"Hello?" a voice chirped brightly a second later, "How can I help you."

"Diane?" Dave queried. "This is Dave Rossi. I'm up in the...what did you people so eloquently name it? The Psycho Suite? And I..." Dave began to explain only feel his blood freeze a moment later as he heard JJ's shrill, terrified scream echoing emanating from the bathroom. "Hold that thought," Dave growled, throwing the phone down on the bed as he rushed toward the source of the bloodcurdling screams.

Pushing open the bathroom door without preamble, Dave momentarily offered a prayer of relief that JJ hadn't made good on her earlier threat to lock the door. "JJ! What's wrong?"

But instead of an answer, he was greeted by a water logged naked Jennifer Jareau clad only in the clear plastic shower curtain that had obviously been ripped from the rack. Her blonde tresses were stained with a reddish liquid, and he felt his heart clench as he demanded, moving forward, "Did you hurt yourself? Is that blood?"

Her eyes widening in a distraught mixture of fright and anger, JJ merely pointed toward the shower head, dribbles of red water still seeping out of the fixture. "It's…it's…." she stuttered, shaking her head wildly as she swiped frantically at her face. "It's pouring from that haunted thing!"

Reaching for the small hand towel on the counter, he gently pushed her hands out of the way as he attempted to push her wet hair off of her face. Dabbing at the red streaks on her face, he immediately recognized the handiwork of the building's resident prankster. "Honey," he said soothingly, trying to bite back the laughter that threatened to escape, "It's probably just a dye tablet in the faucet. It's Trick or Treat 101. This will wash right off."

"You don't know that!" JJ declared vehemently, grabbing the towel from his hands and pressing it to her eyes. "And there's no way in hell I'm getting back into that shower without a freaking bodyguard!" she yelled from behind the terry cloth, jabbing her finger angrily toward the still running "blood bath".

"Well, I'd be more than happy to supervise any..."

Slamming a towel-filled hand to Dave's solid chest, JJ's eyes sparkled as she bit out, "Do NOT finish that sentence!"

"Then perhaps you'd care to cover up with more than a transparent plastic shower curtain," Dave suggested amiably, his eyes walking down her nude body, deciding immediately that he liked what he saw….even through the plastic.

Confusion flashed in her eyes as she dropped her gaze before screeching, "I'm naked!"

"Uh huh," Dave nodded happily, wriggling his eyebrows, "You are," he cackled as red drops of water landed on the floor around her. "And you're dripping."

"Rossi!" JJ yelled, stomping her foot as someone knocked on the door to their room. "I hate you!" she growled, turning on one foot and disappearing back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Biting back a laugh as he went to answer the door, Dave shook his head. He had to hand it to the precocious kid, as far as pranks went, that one ranked pretty high on the list. Opening the door, he met the remorseful eyes of their inn's owner.

"I'm so sorry," Diane apologized, handing over a stack of fluffy white towels into Rossi's waiting hands. "I heard the start of your conversation through the phone, and thought your teammate might need these. I don't know what I'm going to do with her," Diane said, glancing down at a giggling Carole, hovering at her mother's hip with a decidedly faux innocent expression.

"Have you considered a Priest?" Dave said, carefully keeping his face straight as he stared down at the little girl. "I've heard that they perform half price exorcisms on Halloween," he offered, only half kidding.

"Mom! That'd be sooooo cool," Carolee said enthusiastically, tugging excitedly on her mother's hand. "Can we? Can we?"

Half tempted to offer to pay for the experience himself and do the world a public service, his heart fell as he heard Diane reply, "Carole, honey, the nice man was kidding, weren't you, Agent Rossi?"

Leaning forward, he whispered for Diane's ears only, "Not particularly."

"Carole's just a little high-spirited," she defended her daughter nervously, tugging on her daughter's hand and pulling her behind her.

"All I'm saying lady is that maybe you should make sure little Carole doesn't light a fire in the fireplace before Santa makes his grand debut. I think she might enjoy watching the big red guy burn," Dave murmured, his eyebrows arched as he met the mother's eyes.

Lips compressing, Diane smiled tightly. "I'll take that under advisement, Agent Rossi. Come along, Carole," she said quickly, wrapping her hand around her daughter's and hurriedly pulling her away from the door.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules! PLEASE COME ON OUT, VOTE AND HELP US SUPPORT THIS VENTURE!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL! Come on over and check us out...You have FOUR days left to sign-up!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors rain1657, bdd4evr, Seditionary, and Muffins taste good!**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter Six**

_**TV Prompt: My Wife and Kids**__** - "Candy Wars"**_

Shaking his bald head, Derek Morgan looked morosely around the orange and black decorated room, the bright pumpkin-colored bedspread even adorned with a patchwork black cat in its center.

"Welcome to my freaking nightmare," he muttered to himself as he threw his go bag in a chair in the corner of the room as his roomie for the evening happily investigated every corner of the room.

"Now this is just precious," Penelope said from her current position near the far door, grinning at the hand painted pumpkin mural on the wall.

Coming to stand beside her, Morgan grunted as he stared at the macabre hanging. "I guess if you like sadistic blood spattered orange fruits with faces."

Turning, Garcia thumped him on the shoulder with her closed fist and glowered. "When did you become such a sourpuss with a stick up his ass?" she asked impatiently. "Where is your Halloween spirit?"

"You know me better than anybody, Mama," Morgan snorted with a roll of his dark eyes. "And you know that I never had any...not for a so-called holiday that celebrates madness and mayhem...it's like having a National Serial Killers Day. It's just plain dumb."

"Pardon me? Did you just malign one of my favorite holidays, Mr. Grumpy Pants? A holiday where being unusual and unique is actually embraced?" Pen asked narrowly, enunciating each word clearly and precisely.

Unable to miss the warning glint shining in his favorite girl's eyes, Morgan immediately shook his head as he took a proactive step backwards. "Now, Princess, we both know I'm not a fan of things that go bump in the night."

"I'll remember that when you try snuggling up to me tonight," Pen retorted, flouncing toward the small table, an assortment of Halloween goodies spread out over the flat surface. "Ooooh, check it out," she enthused, picking up a orange frosted cupcake and showing him the top of it. "They decorated them with gummy worms!"

"Yay," Morgan cheered unenthusiastically. "They couldn't just use candy corn like normal people? Oh no. They used bait. Why am I not surprised?"

"Oh, poo," Pen rolled her eyes, plucking a foil wrapped piece of candy and tossing it toward him. "Put something in your mouth. You're ruining my Halloween buzz."

Sighing heavily as he watched his Baby Girl's pink tongue swipe at the sugary frosting, Derek's fingers unwrapped the red foil package. And just as he watched the tip of Pen's tongue take another swipe at the confection in her hands, his body hardening in response, he glanced down at the candy in his own hands.

And screamed like a little girl.

Throwing the candy...or what some sadist was trying to pass off as confections...over his shoulder, Derek wiped his hand furiously against his jean clad thigh. "Holy shit," he yelled, shuddering as he turned to see where the nasty surprise he'd opened had landed.

Eyes wide, Penelope looked at Derek, now pale and shaking as he cautiously took a step toward the candy he'd thrown. "What the hell is the matter with you, D?"

"Eyeball," Derek yelped, jabbing his finger toward the gelatinous ball on the floor. "It's a freaking eyeball, Princess!"

And outside the door of the inn's room, Diane stared down at her daughter Carole's angelic face. "What did you do?" she whispered to her little girl as a man's shouts filtered through the closed door. "Why is that man screaming about mutant eyeballs, Carole Anne?" Diane asked sternly, gesturing toward the door behind her as a woman's voice tinny voice tried to soothe the frantic man inside. "Did you do something to the candy?"

"What candy, Mommy?" Carole Anne asked innocently, her blue eyes staring up in perfected child-like virtue.

"The candy we wrapped this morning...the chocolates, Carole," Diane returned, tapping her foot as the shouting escalated behind the heavy wooden door, evidently the result of unwrapping more of her handmade delicacies.

"Oh, those," Carole shrugged, her thin shoulders rising and falling carelessly. "I might have added some stuff from my own superspecial stash."

Oh God, Diane silently groaned, one of the agent's voices rising dramatically at something the other said. "Carole," she whined, shaking her head as she closed her eyes in tired fear, "what was in your stash?"

"'member how Chucky at the bakery came and helped us a couple weeks ago?" Carole murmured, scoffing the toe of her sneaker against the worn hallway carpeting.

"Yes," Diane drawled, her eyes widening as she realized just exactly what Chucky had shown her. "You didn't, Carole!" she whispered, cringing. "That jello eyeball recipe was just for your school party."

"But it was soooo easy to do, Mommy," Carole whined as she swayed from side to side.

Wincing, Diane dragged her daughter toward the door behind which she could still hear a commotion. Knocking lightly, she waited patiently, the face of the friendly, animated blonde from earlier appearing momentarily. "Ms. Garcia, wasn't it?" she said politely.

"Yep!" Penelope nodded, blowing a strand of hair from her face as she ignored the grumbling man behind her. "Sure am!"

"I couldn't help but hear the disturbance as we walked by and Carole told me about her special "surprise" that she left in the candy dish," Diane said, using air quotes. "I'm so sorry..."

"Lady," Morgan said heavily, appearing behind Garcia, "those were freaking slimy eyeballs!"

"Jello eyeballs," Diane nodded sympathetically. "Carole was expressing her Halloween spirit. Again," she said with a hard look at her youngest daughter. "I'm so sorry. I'll send up some chocolate right away."

"No offense, ma'am, but my appetite took a hike," Morgan growled. "Your kid needs some serious...OOMPH," he grunted, doubling over as Penelope's elbow connected with his left kidney.

"...some serious accolades for the creative candy she left us," Pen enthused, reaching out to pat Carole's blonde head. "Kudos, kiddo! Not many get one over on the big bad boy behind me," Pen smiled, jerking her head toward a still bent Morgan.

"Thank you," Carole demurred sweetly, batting her tiny eyelashes.

"Don't push it," Diane muttered to her child underneath her breath, squeezing her small hand in warning. Shifting apologetic looks between Ms. Garcia and Agent Morgan, Diane smiled weakly, "We'll just leave you to it then." And with one final nod, Diane dragged her daughter down the hallway as the door closed behind them.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules! PLEASE COME ON OUT, VOTE AND HELP US SUPPORT THIS VENTURE!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL! Come on over and check us out...You have THREE days left to sign-up! COME ON, FIC LOVERS, CHECK THIS ONE OUT AND MAKE IT A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors, microgirl, junealii, Naidoo, and !**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter Seven**

_**TV Prompt: Mystery Diagnosis**__** - Why Is Emily Screaming?**_

Closing the heavy door to their assigned room, Aaron Hotchner watched as Emily Prentiss dropped her leather bag on the floor with a plop, her shoulders sagging tiredly as the weight left her arm. "You looked wiped, Emily," he remarked. "You want first dibs at the shower?" he asked, gesturing toward the open door to the bathroom.

Shaking her head, Emily longingly eyed the huge bed in the center of the room. "Why don't you go ahead? Right now, stretching out for a few minutes sounds a bit more enticing to me."

Smiling faintly at the wistful tone in her voice, Hotch nodded. "I won't be long. Hopefully the hot water supply in this place holds out for all of us."

"If that bed is as comfortable as it looks," Emily sighed, peeling off her suit jacket and draping it over one of the Queen Anne chairs in the room, "it won't even matter to me. I'll sacrifice the hot water for a nice firm mattress."

Waiting until her attractive boss closed the bathroom door behind him, Emily knelt beside her go bag, quickly pulling out an oversized tee shirt and pair of boxer shorts. Hearing the shower start in the next room, she began undressing, pausing as she heard the wind outside. Glancing out the window, the darkened glass illuminating nothing, she shook her head. _Don't be silly, Prentiss, she chided herself. It's fall. It's windy. That's all._

But she wouldn't deny that she secretly had agreed with her fellow agent's assessment of the inn they'd currently taken residence inside...it _was_ creepy. But, she told herself with a sidelong glance at the California King bed, it had the one necessity in life she needed desperately right now. A nice, firm mattress.

She finished pulling on her makeshift pajamas in record time. Stretching as she listened to the patter of water falling against tile, Emily smiled. She'd spent plenty of time imagining herself sharing a bed with Aaron Hotchner, but she'd never fantasized it quite like this. Combing her fingers through her messy hair as she glanced down her body, she chuckled to herself. Fortunately, seduction wasn't on the menu tonight...the outfit she wore wouldn't quite get that job done.

Sleepily trudging toward the side of the bed, Emily admitted that it was just as well. Her crush on Hotch had become a way of life for her. Who knew what trouble she'd find if she wasn't mooning over him, she thought sliding underneath the crisp cool sheets tiredly.

She'd never be certain if it was mere seconds or minutes later when her foggy mind processed something moving against her thigh. And briefly, she thought that perhaps, finally, Aaron Hotchner had decided to act on the attraction that had been simmering between them for years. That was, right up until she recognized the fact that what was caressing her naked flesh wasn't a warm, smooth hand...it was much...hairier!

Her shriek rent the air as her eyes widened and she bolted upright in bed, disturbing the covers. Turning toward the source of her fear, Emily screamed again as her eyes met the shining green eyes of the other occupant of the bed.

And the son of a bitch was moving!

"Hotch!" Emily yelled as the black cat beside her arched on its remaining three legs, glaring at her as it hissed angrily.

"Emily?" Hotch shouted back, barreling out of the bathroom, his lower body hastily wrapped in a white towel as water streamed down his muscled chest. "What's the matter?"

"That!" Emily bit out, weakly gesturing toward the beast in her bed.

Stunned, Hotch shifted his gaze to the creature beside Emily. "What the hell IS that?" he asked in confusion. Blinking, his mind processed the fact that the animal...at least he assumed it was an animal...was missing not only a leg, but an ear as well.

Lurching out of the bed as the hissing feline took a step nearer, Emily growled, "I think it's a cat...a demented cat, by the look of things."

"It looks like it's been domesticated. It's wearing a collar," Hotch said, bending to get a better look at the coal black animal.

"Get it out, Aaron," Emily screeched, slapping Hotch's bare arm as the cat seemed to spit at her.

Nodding, Hotch made a grab for the furry interloper, wrapping his hands around it and lifting it toward him. "Look, Emily, it's ta-...OWWWW!" Hotch yelled as four sets of nails buried in his bare chest as the feline scrambled up his body, tearing skin in its wake.

And outside the bedroom door, Diane glared at her daughter as she stopped in the hallway for the third time. "Now, what have you done, Carole?" she asked as she hurried toward the sounds of screams.

Running after her mother, Carole shook her head. "Don't blame me, I didn't prank THAT room."

Knocking on the door, Diane held her breath as the disheveled brunette from earlier in the lobby's face appeared. "Agent Prentiss, right? Is there a problem?"

"You might say that, ma'am," Emily replied, her voice strangled, "It would appear that our room was already occupied prior to our arrival," she explained, widening the door to allow Diane to see their household pet strutting across the room and a highly disgruntled Aaron Hotchner dabbing at his bloody chest with a towel.

"Ah," Diane breathed, barely resisting the urge to scream herself. "I see you found Satan," she continued, offering a weak smile. "I thought I'd already let him out for the night."

"You found him," Hotch said tightly, striding toward the door.

"I let him in, Mommy," Carolee said brightly from her position next to Diane. "I thought he might want to meet our guests."

"Carole," Diane groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "You know Satan doesn't do well with unexpected visitors."

"I thought these people might be different. And he only got scratched a little," Carole shrugged, smiling ever so sweetly.

Scooping Satan off the floor, Diane thrust the cat into her daughter's arms. "Take Satan and go stand over there," she ordered, pointing at the far wall. Turning back toward her obviously unhappy guests, Diane apologized, "I'm so sorry. She isn't usually quite this precocious."

"I'd be happy to give you the names of several child psychologists in the area that study the young deviant mind," Hotch offered dryly, glaring at the small girl who was now petting the demonic feline. "I'd really hate to mischievous tendencies to escalate into something more...uncontrollable."

Hearing the censure in her guest's voice, Carole swallowed, nodding. "I'll definitely take that under advisement. Do try and enjoy the remainder of your evening here at the Bates Bed and Breakfast."

And watching as the door closed in her face, Diane sagged against the doorframe. Next year, she was definitely canceling Halloween.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules! PLEASE COME ON OUT, VOTE AND HELP US SUPPORT THIS VENTURE!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL! Come on over and check us out...You have TWO days left to sign-up! COME ON, FIC LOVERS, CHECK THIS ONE OUT AND MAKE IT A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors, microgirl, junealii, Naidoo, and !**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

_**TV Prompt: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch - A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It**_

**Chapter Eight**

Pacing in front of her last victim's door, Carole narrowed her eyes and crossed her thin arms over her chest. Her small frame stiffened in frustration as she heard a sleepy yawn from inside the room.

Stomping her foot in a move that would have made Cruella de Ville proud, she glared at the door as she heard footsteps behind her. Glancing over her little shoulder, she frowned in a decided pout at Mr. Kreuger.

"Carole Ann," Freddy whispered, aware of the floor full of tired guests in the rooms around them, "What are you doing, child? You're gonna get in trouble if your mama catches you sneaking around the hallway up here!"

"I don't understand it, Freddy," little Carole whined petulantly, gesturing at the closed door of the quiet room in front of her. "I threw my best stuff at this one. And nothing! Not one scream! Not even a little one," she huffed, her small eyes narrowing on her frowning face.

Glancing at the wooden door in front of the irritated child, Freddy's lips twitched. "Didya try the song I taught you?" he whispered.

Nodding dutifully, Carole sang as she swayed from side to side, "One, two...Freddy's comin' for you. Three, four...Better lock your door. Five, Six...Grab your crucifix..."

"Honey," Freddy smiled gently, dropping his hand on Carole's head, halting what was certain to turn into a full blown exhibit of the youngster's talents, "I taught you the song. Remember?"

"Yeah," Carole muttered miserably, scuffing her toe against the frayed carpet. "I do. It scared meeee, Freddy," she huffed. "But, him," she said, jabbing an accusing finger toward Spencer Reid's room, "I got nothin'!"

"Ah, pumpkin, some people just don't fright so easy," Freddy commiserated, shaking his head as he patted her shoulder.

"He don't fright at all," Carole complained, looking over her shoulder and sticking her tongue out at the closed door. "I heard him open his closet, Freddy...and I hung my Cabbage Patch Doll just like you said...with the fake blood and everything, and still...not a peep," she explained, her little girl's voice rising in obvious dismay.

"Well," Freddy humphed as the door behind his pint sized friend opened behind her.

"I thought I heard voices," Spencer Reid said softly, smiling uncertainly at the duo standing in the hallway. His eyes brightened as he recognized the small girl who was glaring up in his direction. "Oh, Carole! I think I have something that might belong to you," he said, holding up a finger and disappearing inside the room again. Presenting her mutilated Cabbage Patch doll with a flourish, Reid grinned. "I found your doll. Strangely, there was a poorly constructed noose hanging around her neck and she was swinging from a wire hanger inside my closet. You might want to pay closer attention to the whereabouts of your toys."

"Whattaya mean 'poorly constructed'?" Carole huffed, stomping her slim foot on the carpeted floor of the corridor as she reached for her doll. "And why don't you spook?" she asked angrily. "It's trick or treat, Mister. And all I wanted from you was one lousy scream!"

"A river of candy corn runs through that question, youngster," Freddy mumbled, eyeing the inn's guest speculatively.

Raising a brow in obvious question, Reid shook his head. "I'm sorry, Carole. Were you attempting to frighten me? With the doll?"

Jerking the metal chain off the floor beside his door, Carole shook it at him furiously, clanking sounds filling the tall, narrow hallway. "Mister, I tried everything. My doll...chains...scary noises. I couldn't spook you. Not one measly time! I used some of my best stuff on you. You're a stick in the mud!"

"I apologize, Carole," Reid said seriously, kneeling in front of her. "I suppose that I'm just not easily frightened."

"You don't scare at all...and I get the screams, Mister! Ask your friends," Carole demanded, sweeping her arm out to encompass all the closed doorways. Pointing down the hallway at the doorway on the right, she added, emphatically, "Matter of fact, that blonde lady screamed for a really long time. 'Specially when my secret recipe for blood wouldn't come out her hair."

"Really?" Reid asked, interested, his eyes widening as he took stock of the young child. "May I ask what you used?"

"The secret's in the sauce," Carole retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. "What's your problem?" she asked, cocking her head at the older man. "You got ice in your veins?"

"No, nothing like that," Reid said reasonably. "It's just that in order to scare someone like me, your prank can't be something I can't scientifically explain away."

"What'd he say, Freddy?" Carole asked impatiently over her shoulder, her little blonde brows drawn together in consternation.

"No idea, Kiddo," Freddy shrugged, hitching his suspenders up higher on his shoulders.

"I mean that your pranks need a certain element of the unexplainable. If you can incorporate that necessary ingredient into your tricks, you'll rise to a whole new level of Halloween mayhem."

"Don't think she needs to get much higher, Mister," Freddy scoffed, rolling his eyes at the FBI G-Man. "That bald guy in your group looked about three beats short of needing an EKG earlier."

Waving a hand toward Derek's door, Reid shook his head. "Oh, that's just Morgan. A toddler could scare him. No, Carole, what you need is an edge."

"An edge?" Freddy and Carole asked in unison, both curious.

"Exactly," Reid nodded, his eyes dancing. "I could help you," Reid offered earnestly. "And next Halloween you could leave an indelible impression on all your guests."

"More'n the big bald baby?" Carole asked, her eyes widening hopefully.

"I'd venture to say so," Reid replied, Carole's eagerness catching. "Easily," Reid said with a decisive nod.

"How?" Freddy asked doubtfully.

"Simple," Reid stated with a self-conscious grin. "Carole, I'd like to introduce you to the wide world of physics magic."

And clapping gleefully, Carole's blonde head bobbed enthusiastically. "Teach me some super-scary science, Dr. Reid! Right now!"

And against Freddy's better judgment, that's exactly what Spencer did.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Hello, readers! Just a couple of notes today -**

**Sign-ups for the Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange Challenge end October 31st . Please remember to stop by and sign up at the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum if interested. We'd love to have each one of you. And remember, we will be taking NO late entries for this challenge.**

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**New interviews are posted on "Chit Chat" with our very talented co-authors: TheSecretCity, montez, jeffandjimmieschick, and Spark Shark. Check them as well as several of our other nominees out. We'll be adding more as we draw closer to the end of the awards!**

**Thanks to everyone that continues to read, review alert and favorite...we truly appreciate each one of you!**

* * *

**Double Double, Toil and Trouble**

**Chapter Nine**

An hour later, a decidedly unhappy Jennifer Jareau jerked open the door to the room she shared with Dave, and cautiously peered out into the dimly lit hallway. Nodding to herself, she muttered under her breath, "I think the coast is clear for the moment."

From his vantage point right behind her, Rossi rolled his eyes as he settled a proprietary hand against the small of her back. "What were you expecting, babe? Dancing skeletons dangling from the ceiling? A group of goblins playing shuffleboard with a poltergeist?"

Jabbing her elbow back into his ribcage, his sudden humph filling the air, JJ retorted as she stepped out into the empty hallway, "At this point, I wouldn't put it past that little imp to do any of those things. For all I know, she's in league with Beelzebub himself and off planning mischief we've not even imagined yet."

Rubbing his side, Rossi followed her as he said, calmly, "Why don't we just try to enjoy this bonfire thing tonight, then get a good night's sleep? I promise to protect you from any ghosties and ghoulies that may come our way."

Any reply she may have been thinking of making was lost as the door across the hallway opened suddenly, and the pinched face of Emily Prentiss appeared. "I thought I heard your voice," the profiler said, tugging her jacket tighter around her shoulders. "Are we really going to sit around a bonfire and roast marshmallows in this weather?"

Following his teammate out into the hall, Aaron Hotchner answered the question. "I think it would be rude to our hosts to shun their offers of hospitality, Emily."

Another door opened just then, and in seconds Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia had joined the small group in the hallway. Overhearing his boss's last words, Morgan scrunched his face as he exclaimed, darkly, "What's rude, Hotch, is being forced to endure the horrors that our host is foisting upon us in the form of her demon spawn. That child needs professional intervention. Otherwise, we're gonna be meeting up with her again one day soon…and I ain't gonna guarantee she'll survive."

"Oh, pish posh," Garcia declared, smacking Morgan against the shoulder as she rolled her eyes at his theatrics. "Little Carole is just a high strung child looking for a creative outlet. I, for one, am quite impressed with her grasp of all things macabre. She's got quite the gift, don't you think?"

"Oh, I'd like to give her a gift," Emily agreed, her nose wrinkling as the gathered team slowly trudged toward the staircase. "A one-way ticket to juvie hall would be just the thing for her."

"She'd probably have the rest of the kids trained in her special brand of terror before her first day was up," JJ snorted, rolling her eyes as she stopped suddenly. "Wait! We can't go downstairs without Spence!"

"Well, the slowpoke needs to get a move on," Rossi replied, taking a few steps backwards to bang on the small door they had just passed. Waiting for a moment and receiving no response, he banged again as he called out, "Shake a leg, Reid. We're all waiting." Hearing nothing but silence from the other side of the door, Rossi cocked a brow as he turned back toward the team. "It appears the good doctor may have left without us."

Pushing Dave out of the way, JJ twisted the knob, pushing open the door as she called out, "Spence? You in here?" Her eyes glanced around the small, cell-like room, taking in the perfectly made bed with Reid's go-bag placed precisely on the lower end. Twisting her lips from side to side, she muttered, "It's not like Spence to go off without us when we're in the field."

Pulling her back out into the hallway, Dave wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he said, reassuringly, "We'll probably find him already downstairs, teaching the maintenance man how to properly attach the marshmallow to the stick in order to get maximum burn coverage, or something equally as asinine. Quit worrying."

"I'm with Dave on this one," Hotch added, moving once again toward the staircase. "Let's get this over with. The sooner we finish this night, the sooner we can get back to Quantico and end this trip from hell."

Bouncing happily down the steps, Garcia chirped out, "But I don't want it to be over! I just LOVE this place! It's the perfect mix of The Bride of Chucky meets Amityville Horror! Honestly, Diane needs to market his place. She could make a killing in the goth market!"

Wincing at her choice of words, Morgan moaned loudly, "Would you please not use the word killing in relation to this place, Baby Girl?"

"Spoilsport!" Garcia retorted, hiding her grin as she felt the muscled man shiver once again.

Stepping into the small foyer, the team glanced around quickly, and JJ let out a sigh of relief as she immediately saw Spencer sitting on the large sofa in the corner. "There you are!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "I thought we'd lost you!"

Cocking his head to the side, Reid looked at his teammate thoughtfully as he said, "How could you lose me, JJ, whenever I know exactly where I am? It would be a violation of the laws of physics for me to completely disappear into nothingness. As a matter of fact, Newton's first law of matter states…."

Raising his hand, Dave interrupted easily, "Right now, I think we can leave good old Isaac and his theories in the closet for the night. I don't think our brains can take a science lesson after the day we've had, Reid."

Grinning suddenly, Reid stood up as he said, "Then I wouldn't turn around if I were you."

Six sets of wary eyes turned slowly, unable to resist doing exactly what Reid had just advised against. Blinking suddenly as she realized that she was looking at two identical blonde little girls, JJ bit back a moan as she asked under her breath, slowly, "Someone tell me that I am dreaming. This is a nightmare that I can wake up from, right?"

Clapping her hands happily, Garcia immediately moved forward as she exclaimed, "Carole! You've multiplied! There's two of you!"

Stepping out from behind the desk to move behind the little girls, Diane the innkeeper smiled tiredly "Oh, did I forget to mention that I have twins?" Diane replied as she placed a hand on the shoulder of each girl. Nodding toward the child on her right, she said, "This is my other daughter, Regan."

"Wasn't that the name of the little girl in The Exorcist?" Morgan muttered under his breath, his voice filled with disbelief. "What kind of mother would name her kids after horror films?"

"I was going to spend the evening teaching Carole the finer points of physics magic," Reid said as he smiled down at the young girls, "But then Carole's father came in from his trip to town, and I got to meet Chelsea. They share a remarkable likeness, don't they?"

Catching the matching gleams in the girls' eyes, Emily crossed her arms over her chest as she said, voice tight, "In more than one way, I'm afraid." Taking a step closer to Hotch, she muttered, "I think it's time to call in that exorcist. Double trouble is just around the corner."

The front door opened wide, a gust of cold air filling the small foyer as Freddy the handyman bustled inside. Rubbing his hands together, he called out, "Fire's all ready, folks! It's gonna be a regular barnburner out there tonight. Best get a move on!"

Digging her heels into the carpet, Penelope Garcia held up her hand as she said excitedly, "Wait! I need to ask! Is it too early to book Prancer's Palace for Christmas?"

"Give it a rest, Baby Girl," Morgan ordered gently as he drug her toward the door. Clutching at Garcia's hand as they all moved onto the porch, Morgan snorted, "Hotch, man, I don't know about you, but next year, my ass is staying put in DC at Halloween. "

"Trust me, Morgan," Hotch replied as his team moved in unison, "I'm going to put our entire team on standdown for the whole month of October. One evening at the Bates Bed and Breakfast is enough for a lifetime."

And as the team stepped out into the night, the sing-song voices of the two children filled the air….

"Double, double, toil and trouble…fire burn and cauldron bubble…"

**The End**


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